<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>5 times scarlet tried to scare her parents +1 time she did by agentmmayy</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27309079">5 times scarlet tried to scare her parents +1 time she did</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmmayy/pseuds/agentmmayy'>agentmmayy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>scarlet and the spies [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood, Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic, Multi, kid shenanigans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:15:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,896</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27309079</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmmayy/pseuds/agentmmayy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's nearing Halloween and Scarlet is on a mission to try and scare her parents, even though they don't get scared at all.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lance Hunter/Melinda May/Bobbi Morse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>scarlet and the spies [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1506155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>5 times scarlet tried to scare her parents +1 time she did</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>wow look i'm actually posting a *gasp* new fic?? i wrote this in 3(?) hours last night with a sudden urge to write and al's prompt of scarlet trying to scare her parents. tw for blood (detailed depiction of a heavy nosebleed) and grossly accurate fake bugs. also rated T for cursing. hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>1</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet’s parents didn’t get scared at </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Even when they watched the hash-ling slasher episode of Spongebob with her. Obviously. They were grown-ups and according to her seven-year-old logic, grown-ups didn’t get scared. And her parents had been super-secret agents so they </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>didn’t get scared. Duh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But it was nearing Halloween and everyone was scaring </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Katie at school scared her when she came out of the bathroom stall and laughed the entire time Scarlet washed her hands. And she’d seen Wes scare Tyler on the playground. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She </span>
  </em>
  <span>wanted to scare someone. But Scarlet didn’t want to scare Fin. That was too easy. All she had to do was shut the car door too hard at the carline and he started crying. Then she’d feel bad. Fin also wasn’t even two years old. It wouldn’t be any fun. Her parents, however, could be scared. She just had to try. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet’s first go at scaring her parents lands with her hiding behind the front entrance wall. A classic that, according to the movies and shows she’d seen, never failed. It’s the perfect hiding spot. They can’t see her from the little alcove, but she can see </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>hear whoever might be walking by. It takes a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long </span>
  </em>
  <span>time for any of them to. Scarlet almost gives up but then hears footsteps- Mom’s- approaching. When she nears the wall, Scarlet leaps out with a “RAH!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mom doesn’t even flinch. Scarlet deflates. Bobbi looks down at Scarlet, one blonde eyebrow quirked up. “Rah to you too, kiddo. Were you trying to scare me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Scarlet blurts automatically before remembering what would happen if she lied. Her parents would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>disappointed </span>
  </em>
  <span>and that was worse than any punishment. “Maybe!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mom only laughs and ruffles her hair before walking down the hall. “Try harder next time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>
    <span>would</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>2</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next time consists of Scarlet burrowing in the dirty clothes hamper, hidden beneath a pile of dirty laundry. She hadn’t even planned to try and scare her parents today until she got home from school and went to put her clothes in the laundry room. Then she spotted the overflowing basket. It was easy to dump some clothes out and replace them with her. Her nose wrinkles at the odor. She hopes Daddy doesn’t take </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>long to come to do the laundry like he always does on Friday. The laundry room is near silent, so Scarlet can’t hear if he’s coming and can only sit in silence and stinky clothes. This was trying hard. This was trying </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>hard! He better be scared!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luckily, she doesn’t have to wait for long. The laundry room door swings open with a squeak as Hunter walks in. Scarlet waits until he’s next to the hamper, about to take the first layer of clothing off before she jumps out of it with a loud, “AHA!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Dad isn’t scared. Instead, he looks faintly amused. “Have you been in there this whole time?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet pouts. Another parent rendered un-scarable. “Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dad leans in close, making a big show of sniffing her hair and causing her to giggle. “You smell just about as ripe as these clothes, bug. Off to the bath for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I don’t have bath time until later!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well you’re having it now or else I’m throwing you in the wash with the laundry!” Hunter exclaims, scooping Scarlet up out of the hamper and hauling her over to the wide-open washing machine, pretending to lower her in it. Scarlet shrieks, squirming in his grasp, and cackles as he tickles her sides. Scaring Dad didn’t work. She makes a mental note to never hide in the gross hamper again, but any failure Scarlet feels disappears as Dad carries her surfboard style out of the room and to the bathroom, loudly detailing how smelly she is over her laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <strong>3</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Clearly, Scarlet has to take her scaring technique up a notch. Her parents are too hard to scare just by herself. So, she digs through the toy drawers in the playroom until she finds the container labeled EW BUGS. It’s full of alarmingly realistic plastic bugs ranging from cockroaches to grubs and crickets. Aunt Jemma gave it to her during Scarlet’s brief bug phase when she was three- that’s where she got her nickname after all- going on about how Scarlet might become an entomologist one day, which was the study of bugs or something. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gross</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She would never. But the toys were cool. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet peruses her selection. A few of the toys had fallen to Fin when he was teething, but there are still many left. She settles on a palmetto bug that’s almost two inches long. It’s longer than her pointer finger! Surely this will scare her parents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not bothering to put the toys away, Scarlet clenches the palmetto bug in her hand and sneaks into the hall bathroom, looking right and left before ducking inside. Her parents use this bathroom the most. Besides, they would get too suspicious if they caught her walking out of the bathroom in their bedroom. Carefully, Scarlet places the palmetto bug on top of the toilet paper holder and goes to leave the bathroom. But then she stops. It would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>suspicious if she left without washing her hands, even if she didn’t use the toilet. So, Scarlet quickly washes her hands and dries them before leaving, biting back an excited smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And almost running into Melinda. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet jumps back. “I didn’t do anything!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the words leave her mouth, Scarlet wants to take them back. She claps a hand over her mouth, staring up at her mother with wide eyes. Mama raises one eyebrow, unimpressed. “Usually this proceeds me asking what you did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Which was nothing,” Scarlet is quick to reassure her. “I peed!” she exclaims. “And washed my hands. That’s what I did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good to know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet squirms under her Mama’s gaze. “I’m gonna go play with my toys now, bye!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Melinda can reply, Scarlet, runs into the playroom, heart racing. She tries to listen over it. Melinda stands at the threshold of the bathroom for a few more seconds before entering it. The door closes. Scarlet presses against the wall, not resisting to peek around the corner. Obviously, Melinda would be a few minutes, but her ears strain for any shriek or gasp. Nothing. The toilet flushes. The sink turns on. The door opens. Scarlet ducks behind the wall again, sighing in defeat. Did she just not notice it? Then she hears footsteps nearing the playroom and nearly threw herself onto the floor. Scarlet rushes to look busy playing with her bug toys but not too busy. Mama walks into the playroom and crouches beside her, watching Scarlet idly arrange a few ants before pressing something into her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe use a snake next time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet sits on the floor of the playroom, watching Mama leave before looking at the palmetto bug in her palm. Then she sighs and tosses the bug back in the container. Gross. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>4</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s just before one in the afternoon when Scarlet creeps into the nursery. Fin is beginning to wake up from his nap, making soft noises the high-end monitor doesn’t detect. He breaks out into a smile when he sees his sister creeping up toward his crib and reaches a chubby hand out. “Sah!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh!” Scarlet whispers, eyes darting to the baby monitor. The volume doesn’t change. She kneels down and sticks a hand through the crib bars, Fin grasping two of her fingers with his. “You have to be quiet,” she continues. “I’m trying to scare Moms and Dad. Don’t tell them I’m here, okay? It has to be a secret.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fin nods, repeating, “See-ket.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Scarlet turns to glance at the open door before beginning to crawl under the crib. “Remember, you can’t tell them I’m here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The space between the crib and floor is slim to none, but Scarlet is tiny and manages to fit just fine. She holds back a sneeze when she settles, hands clamped over her mouth until it passes. Above her, Fin continues his usual wake up babbling, getting louder until Scarlet knows the monitor picks it up. Way out in the living room, she hears her parents shift and rock paper scissors on who gets to get the baby. Meanwhile, Scarlet holds her breath, heart pounding in excitement. In her opinion, this is going to be The Scare. Her parents would never know she was there! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From the footsteps coming down the hall, Mom lost the game. She enters the nursery, cooing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>good afternoon sleepyhead</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Fin who babbles excitedly. Scarlet remains quiet, eyes tracking Mom’s movement as she nears the crib. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you have a good nap?” Mom asks Fin, lingering by the drawers as she turns off his light and music player. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh-huh,” Fin says. “Mommy up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bobbi walks closer, coming to a stop right in front of the crib as she reaches down to pick Fin up. “Are you hungry?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The second her heels touch the ground again, Scarlet reaches out and grasps her ankles. “AH!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can’t see if Mom jumps, but by the stillness of her feet, she doesn’t. Scarlet frowns. Again, Mom only laughs. “Looks like we got a monster under the crib, huh, Fin?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fin’s response is just a “Sah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet thumps her forehead on the floor and sneezes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>5</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Though Fin did nothing to foil her attempted scare, he didn’t help either. Clearly Scarlet needs the aid of a higher power. Or just another grown up. On Tuesday she sat at the kitchen island of Daisy’s apartment, dipping apple slices into caramel while watching her jiě jiě lick the caramel off a spoon. Tuesday were usually her Daisy Days, where Daisy picked her up from soccer practice when Mama went to see Papa Phil and Mom was at work while Dad watched Fin. It was the perfect time to ask. Daisy had known her parents </span>
  <em>
    <span>waaaaaaaaay </span>
  </em>
  <span>before Scarlet was born. Surely </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’d </span>
  </em>
  <span>know a way to scare them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After she finishes chewing and swallowing, Scarlet begins, “Jiě jiě-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no,” Daisy says, dragging the spoon out of her mouth and pointing it at her. “No way, kid. If this is about your mission to scare your parents, I don’t want any part of it. May still hasn’t let me off the hook for the prank I helped you pull for Memorial Day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They told you?!” Scarlet shrieks, a little mortified. She knew Mama talked to Daisy. It felt like she waited for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours </span>
  </em>
  <span>for them to be done talking when Mama picked her up after dinner. But she didn’t think Mama would tell Daisy about </span>
  <em>
    <span>that! </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daisy looks a bit sheepish and digs the spoon into the caramel. “Ma- Mama mentioned it a few days ago. Put the fear of God in me to not give you any ideas to help scare your parents.” At that, Daisy rolls her eyes. “She said I already had two aging parents and didn’t need two more.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Papa Phil was Daisy’s other parent, Scarlet knew that. So she must be talking about Bobbi and Hunter. “But they’re not your Mom and Dad too.” Mom called Daisy </span>
  <em>
    <span>sestra</span>
  </em>
  <span>, her sister. But that didn’t make Daisy Scarlet’s aunt. She was her sister, too. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Whatever,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Scarlet thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Daisy was family</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That’s all that mattered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell that to them,” Daisy grouses. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Scarlet begs. “I need your help.” In a last-ditch effort, she pulls out her go-to puppy dog eyes that usually get Papa Phil to do anything she asks. It takes a little longer for Daisy but after a few seconds she caves with a sigh, swiping an apple slice off Scarlet’s plate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, but you didn’t hear it from me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Daisy’s idea was great. Of course, it was. Scarlet’s jiě jiě always had the best ideas. Currently, this one involved her scrunching her limbs into one of her larger shirts, one from last year’s elementary school field day when they ran out of extra small sizes though Scarlet made </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure </span>
  </em>
  <span>Dad filled out the XS square on the form. Instead, they gave her a medium. Nevertheless, it was perfect. As well as the scary clown mask Daisy gave her. It even scared Scarlet. Then again, clowns were just scary. Scarlet pulls the mask on and crouches on the floor of the hallway, crab walking down it and into the living room where Mama sits reading. Daisy said to creep up behind her and wait until she looked over. Scarlet does so, moving into Melinda’s line of vision right as she turns the page. It’s a boring book anyway. She should be scared. But, this is her Mama. Who is as unflappable as they come. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Melinda notices her and instead of being scared, Scarlet recognizes the face Mama makes when she’s trying not to smile. Knowing she’s defeated, Scarlet still gives a half-hearted, “Boo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mama plucks the mask off her head as Scarlet flops down on her butt. “Did Daisy put you up to this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” Scarlet blurts. At Melinda’s raised eyebrow, she reconsiders. Daisy has survived Mama’s wrath for nearly </span>
  <em>
    <span>double </span>
  </em>
  <span>Scarlet’s age. She could bear it again. “Maybe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Melinda sighs and shakes her head before gesturing for Scarlet to join her in the chair. Scarlet goes to but forgets her limbs are still tucked into the shirt and nearly falls flat on her face. Mama catches her though. She easily scoops her up, tucking Scarlet into her lap and carefully arranging her shirt. Melinda kisses Scarlet’s cheek, rubbing the tip of her nose against Scarlet’s before picking her book back up and resuming to read, chin resting lightly on the top of Scarlet’s head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet settles against her, half paying attention to the words on the page. The book doesn’t even have pictures. Ugh. But, she doesn’t move. She just has to wait for the right time to scare her parents. If Mama taught her anything it was how to wait. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>+1</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The right time comes in the form of hot, thick blood dribbling from her nose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet blinks awake, blurry eyes trying to focus on the glowing star stickers stuck around her room. The clock on the dresser across from her bed reads 3:19 but it doesn’t register. Her nose tickles so she rubs a wrist across it, stilling when it comes away wet. Scarlet blinks, noting the smear of dark liquid. Then she sighs and begins to climb out of bed, limbs still lethargic with sleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ever since her parents began trying to remodel the basement (ie. tear old carpet up that’s been there even before her </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mama </span>
  </em>
  <span>was born) Scarlet’s been experiencing nosebleeds. They only get bad like this when Dad forgets to shower right after he comes upstairs. She doesn’t remember if he did or not, but none of it really matters right now. Scarlet stumbles down the hall and to her parent’s room, using the sleeves of her pajama shirt to wipe away the rivulets of blood that trickle down her nose and over her lips. By the time she reaches the door, both sleeves are soaked. Her parents always sleep with the door cracked open to hear Scarlet and her brother, so she’s quiet as she steps inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It takes a second for her eyes to adjust. Unlike her and Fin’s rooms, her parent’s room doesn’t have a nightlight. Which is totally lame. Even if they aren’t scared of the dark they could at least still have pretty stars like hers. When she can make out the shape of the large bed, Scarlet walks to her dad’s side, where the glowing lights of the alarm clock are. As she nears, she can see his face, lax with sleep, partially covered by her Mom’s blonde hair, and how the front of her shirt is nearly soaked with blood. It’s starting to get cold and uncomfortable. She can’t deal with this herself, so she reaches out a sticky hand to wake Dad up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Daddy.” Scarlet’s voice is a harsh whisper. Mama stirs but doesn’t wake up. Dad doesn’t even move. She sighs and nudges him again. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Daddy</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, Hunter moves. His nose scrunches, just like Fin’s does when he first wakes up, before his eyes open. He stares at her for a long second, eyes slowly focusing on her long, dark hair she hadn’t bothered to try and fix from its sleep-mussed state and blood-drenched face and shirt. She steps closer, prepared for Dad to pick her up and take her into the bathroom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But what Scarlet </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>prepared for is for Dad to scream so loud it makes her slap her hands over her ears and Mama to bolt upright in bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Holy shit! Holy </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” Hunter yells. He scrambles upright, arms flailing, and finding Bobbi who groans in pain. “Demon! Bob, there’s a demon in our room! Mel-!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hunter.” Melinda’s voice is tight, trying to hold back laughter. “It’s not a demon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Daddy,” Scarlet sniffles around the blood freely flowing from her nose. “It’s me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That gives Hunter a pause. Both he and Scarlet wince as Melinda turns on her bedside lamp. Scarlet’s little, blood-soaked form is illuminated by the light. Hunter stares at her before sinking against the headboard and dragging a hand over his face. “Oh my </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking </span>
  </em>
  <span>god.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly, Scarlet takes her hands away from her ears, realization dawning on her as Melinda releases her laughter. “Did I scare you?” she asks, perking up, looking between her two conscious parents and laughing. “Daddy, I got you! I scared you! You got so scared!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god,” Hunter repeats. “Yeah, you sure did. Just about bloody shat myself. Jesus Christ.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still asleep, Bobbi murmurs, a cross </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lance</span>
  </em>
  <span>, as if she heard him. Meanwhile Scarlet and her Mama are still laughing. Dad soon joins in though he still looks rattled. She finally scared him! And she didn’t even try! Scarlet giggles around the blood that’s dripped into her mouth and coated her teeth, her vindication outweighing the copper tang. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Melinda climbs out of bed, walking around to her. “Come on, let’s clean you up. Lance, check on the baby?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a sigh, Hunter grabs his glasses. “Yes ma’am.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet willingly goes into her Mama’s arms. Mama doesn’t care that her own shirt is getting messy with blood and holds her close as she walks into the connected bathroom. She rests her cheek on Melinda’s shoulder with a pleased hum. “I scared Daddy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did,” Melinda agrees. She sits Scarlet on the counter, cupping her cheek for a moment as she asks, “Did he scare you when he screamed?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sure, Dad screaming had alarmed her, but it hadn’t really scared her. Deep down, Scarlet knows Dad wouldn’t ever hurt her, even if she did scare him. She shakes her head. “Nuh-uh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good. Arms up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mama helps Scarlet out of her ruined shirt and pants, dumping them into the other sink on the vanity with her own blood-stained shirt. By the time she does, Scarlet’s nosebleed has dried up. Melinda wets a washcloth with warm water and gently wipes Scarlet’s face clean, placing a kiss on the tip of Scarlet’s nose when she’s done and helps her blow her nose. Then, she makes Scarlet use a little bit of mouthwash- it’s the grown-up mint flavor, yuck- before picking her back up and leaving the bathroom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mom and Dad are still there, both in bed with Hunter sitting on his side and idly tapping at his phone. He puts it down when he sees them. “Baby’s out cold.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Melinda snorts, glancing at Bobbi who snores softly. “We know where he gets that from.” She passes Scarlet to Hunter who situates her on his lap. Melinda pulls on another shirt before leaving the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet twists around so she can see Dad, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Did I really scare you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure did, you little sneak,” Hunter pokes her side, grinning at her giggle. “Sorry, you had a nosebleed, lovey. I must have forgotten to shower earlier.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet shrugs. Nosebleeds didn’t hurt. They were just sticky. Besides, they made her parents fuss over her, which was always nice. She snuggles into him, enjoying the warmth of his bare skin against hers. Dad’s arms tighten around her and he kisses the top of her head, smoothing back her hair like Mom always does. Scarlet replays Dad screaming in her mind, smothering her smile against his collarbone. Scaring people was fun, but it also made Scarlet remember how she felt after Katie scared her. Sad. A little embarrassed. She pulls back. “Sorry I scared you, Daddy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunter lets out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Why’s that, bug? I thought you’ve been wanting to scare one of us good all week.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Scarlet agrees. “But you were really scared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was,” he says. “Your moms and I shouldn’t have seen that horror movie.” Scarlet’s brow furrows. Dad got scared by a </span>
  <em>
    <span>movie </span>
  </em>
  <span>too? “Were you meaning to scare me, bug?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shakes her head. “It was an accident.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunter chuckles. “A good one at that too.” He kisses her nose. “Thank you for apologizing. Just don’t scare me too often, please. Dad’s already got a few gray hairs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Melinda walks back into the bedroom at that moment, rolling her eyes. “You do not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what was that I found on my pillow the other morning?” Hunter says. He stands Scarlet up on the bed so Mama can help her into a new, clean pair of pajamas. “I’m not as fortunate as you to be untouched by aging.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mama scoffs. “Flatterer.” She places a hand on Scarlet’s back and holds up a plastic cup to her lips. “Here, drink this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet obeys, drinking the water down. She hadn’t even realized how thirsty she was. When she’s done, Mama takes the cup away and Dad helps Scarlet lay back down in bed. Melinda follows, climbing over Hunter’s legs to settle in between him and Bobbi, who doesn’t stir even when Melinda rolls her over. Scarlet snuggles between them, a sudden wave of tiredness hitting her with a yawn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hunter laughs as he turns off the light. “Though you might have gotten too keyed up over scaring me to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re just boring,” Mama says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see how it is,” he says, affronted. “Scare me once then ignore me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scarlet giggles. “You’re not boring, Daddy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kisses her cheek. “Thank you, bug.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mama smoothes back her hair. “Got your fill on scares, Scar?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Think we can team up to try and scare Mum tomorrow?” Dad asks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grins. “Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mama sighs. “Lance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Hunter asks. “She didn’t even wake up when I screamed. Just left me to fend for myself. It’s retribution.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Carried out by our seven-year-old.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She won’t even see it coming. Not with my expertise.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mama’s only reply is to roll her eyes. Scarlet is too tired to giggle. She yawns instead, shifting to curl against Mama’s chest. Mama’s arms come around her and hold her close, joined by Dad’s a second later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Night, scare expert.” Dad kisses her temple. “We love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Love you too,” Scarlet manages to murmur before she falls asleep, safe and warm in bed with her parents, and dreaming about ways to scare her Mom. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>for those of you who don't speak chinese or don't know, jiě jiě means 'older sister.' in this universe it's canon that bobbi and hunter relentlessly tease daisy about being her step parents. the last scare with hunter is from this tumblr(?) post about a parent waking up to their kid standing by their bedside covered in blood from a nosebleed and consequentially getting the shit scared out of them. it sends me every time. also no hate to entomologists here, y'all rock. thanks for reading! happy halloween!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>